When we got back to the hotel room, I immediately collapsed on to the bed and fell asleep.

When I awoke, it was 8:30 PM, and Princess Peach was shaking me.

"Mario, wake up! Luigi's missing!"

That sure woke me up.

I sprang to my feet and ran around the hotel, calling for Luigi. When that didn't work, I extended the search to the entirety of Delfino Plaza.

When a half hour passed and there still wasn't any sign of him, I regrouped with Peach.

"Where's he gone?" She nervously wondered.

"I don't know," I admitted, taking off my hat and scratching my head.

FLUDD interjected, "Mario, look! In your hat!"

I looked in my hat, and was surprised to discover a note. I unfolded it and read it:

"Dear pesky plumber, my minions and I have done something truly evil! Luigi is now a permanent guest at one of my seven Koopa h— no wait, that's not right. But he is in a hotel somewhere. I dare you to find him if you can! ~ Bowser Jr."

"We've gotta find Luigi!" I said.

"And you've gotta help us!" Peach added, pointing off in a random direction.

FLUDD, confused, asked, "What're you doing?"

Peach and I looked at each other and laughed at our inside joke. I told FLUDD, "You REALLY don't wanna know."

—

Peach laid down a map onto the table. "Alright, there are 3 total hotels on this island. We already know he isn't at this one, so we can rule it out. That leaves us with the hotels in Noki Bay and Sirena Beach."

"You take Noki Bay, and I'll search Sirena Beach."

She nodded and put away the map, and we both headed out.

I stopped in the town square and asked FLUDD, "Can you detect a quick way to get to Sirena Beach, like a portal or something?"

FLUDD scanned the area. "Scan successful. Shortcut to Sirena Beach found." He pointed his nozzle at one of the buildings, and I followed his directions.

But when I found it, I discovered a problem:

The portal was inside of a pipe that was blocked off by a giant pineapple.

I tried to move it with my bare hands; I tried using FLUDD in various ways; I even busted out a plunger, but all to no avail.

Then I heard the sound of about twenty pairs of legs running nearby, and it gave me an idea.

I found the source of the noise, the buffet of Yoshis I'd rescued before, running down the street about 25 yards away from the blockage.

"Hey, fellas!" I called out. They all turned to look at me, then they looked past me and saw the gigantic Pineapple. "Dig in!" I added.

They came running like how a chef runs to a burning dish. The pineapple was gone within seconds, then they all scurried off.

Well, all but Shiki.

"Mario!" She hugged me like she hadn't seen me in years. "What're you doing unblocking this pipe?"

"Luigi's been kidnapped, and he's being held at one of two hotels, one of which is through this conveniently placed portal."

"Say no more; I'm coming with."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"But I want to. Besides, I know you said I don't owe you anything, but I still feel like I do."

She smiled at me, and I smiled back, and we jumped into the pipe.